Spring



B. C. SEATON.

SPRING.

APPLICATION men NOV. 19. I91].

1 ,326, 107. Patented Dec. 23, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET B. C. SEATON.

SPRING.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 19. 1911.

2 SHEETS-$HEET 2- 1,32 107, Patnted Dec. 23,1919.

BENJAMIN C. SEATON, 0F NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

SPRING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 19, 1917. Serial No. 202,774.

F To all whom it may concern: it

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN C. SnA'roN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Nashville, Tennessee, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Springs, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which, 7

Figure 1 is a rear elevational view of my improved spring as applied to automobiles.

Fig. 2 is'a similar view partly in section at one end of said spring.

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a detail view of a portion of the spring clamp.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in automobile springs, the object being to construct the spring, or set of springs of cantaliver form, so that the difierent leaves thereof will be brought into operation successively as the load is increased; Another feature of myinvention is the novelform of the clamp used for binding the leaves together.

1n the drawings, 1 indicates a portion of the framing of an automobile to which is secured a U-shaped member 2. 3 is a bent plate forming a space bar over which depend perforated ears or lugs 3% Between these lugs is arranged a spacingiblock 4:. 5 is a through bolt from which are suspended screw eyes6 supporting a clamping plate 7, whereby the leaves of the spring, or set of springs, are held against the spacing member 4. 8 is an eye bar strung on the through bolt5 which cooperates with the cross bar 9 passing over the frame member 1, said cross bar 9 in turn cooperating with a clamping bolt 10 having an eye at its lower end through which the bolt 5 passes. By this construction, the spring clamp is readilydetachable and in addition is capable of permitting a pivotal movement of the spring, to a limited extent, about the bolt 5.

The spring as an entirety is composed of two sets of leaves arranged to operate as cantalivers and one of these sets of springs will now bedescribed, this description applying to both sets.

The leaf 12 has its inner end bent to form a book which cooperates with a U-shaped 7 member 2, the outer end of this leaf being provided with an eye which cooperates with a bracket 13 pivotally mounted on a collar 14 forming a part of the rear axle housing. The upper leaf 12 of the spring engages the spacing member 1 and at its outer end is formed with an eye which carries an embracing yoke 15, the lower member of this yoke cooperates with the lowest leaf 12 -of the spring which rests upon the cross bar 7. Immediately above the leaf 12 are two or more intermediate leaves 12 and 12 and these, together with the leaf 12, are designed to support the weight of the car. Interposed between the leaves 12 and 12 is an auxiliary leaf 12 whose outer end is preferably bent downward, as shown, to engage one of the pivot bolts of the bracket 13.

Assuming that the leaves 12 12 are of suflicient strength to support the car body under normal conditions when empty, the addition of a light load in the body will bring into play the leaf 12 An additional load will bring into action the leaves 12 and 12 by virtue of the fact that said leaves 12 and 12 are connected by yoke 15.

I am aware that my improved spring herein illustrated and described, and the various parts thereof, is susceptible of changes, modifications, and variations not referred to herein specifically, but within the spirit and scope of my invention as set forth in the following claims. A

I claim:

' 1. The combination of a frame member,

cantaliver springs pivotally mounted thereon and near the ends thereof, and a coupling for the inner ends of said cantaliver springs, said coupling being mounted upon said frame member at about its center and having inturned lips with which the inner ends of the cantaliver springs hookedly engage.

2. Thefcombination of a frame member, spacing blocks arranged therein and near each end thereof, cantaliver springs pivotally mounted on said blocks, and means for hookedly connecting the inner ends of said springs.

3. The combination of a frame member, a set of leaf springs pivotally mounted is thereon, each set of springs including a master leaf, the inwardly extending portions of said springs being coupled together at a point medial the length of said frame member, the leaves of said inwardly extending portions being arranged close to-.

Patented Dec. 23, 1919.

gether so that they are substantially in contact in each spring from the points of their pivotal connection to the end of the frame member to the coupling throughout their length respectively, portions of said leaves being spread apart so that when the master leaf is under excessive load, the other leaves will be successively brought into play.

l. The combination of a frame member, a set of leaves comprising a spring including a master leaf top and bottom short leaves, intermediate leaves arranged above the master leaf, a long flexible leaf arranged above said intermediate leaves and connected to top and bottom short leaves, said leaves being spaced apart so that when the master leaf is under excessive load the long flexible leaf will be brought into play and finallv the connected short leaves will be brought into action.

5. The combination with a frame member and a support, of a cantaliver s n'ing fulcrumed on the frame member near its end, the inner end of said spring engaging the frame member near its center, said spring comprising a pair of relatively short outer leaves, a yoke connecting the outer portions of said outer leaves, a pair of relatively long leaves arranged between the short outer leaves, one of which long leaves bears upon the support, and a pair of intermediate leaves arranged between the long leaves.

6. The combination with a frame member, of a cantaliver spring fulcrumed on said frame member, said cantaliver spring con1- prising a master leaf, both ends of which are supported, a pair of relatively short outer leaves, a loop connecting the outer ends of said short outer leaves, and a series of leaves disposed between the master leaf and one of the short outer leaves, which master leaf and series of leaves are inclosed within the loop connecting the pair of short leaves. I

7. The liei'einclesci'ibed cantaliver spring comprising a pair of relatively short outer leaves, a palr of relatively long leaves, the

members of which are arranged immediately adjacent to the members of the short outer leaves, and a pair of intermediate leaves disposed between the members of the pair of long leaves, the inner portions of all of said leaves being arranged close together so that they are substantially in contact with each other, and the outer portions of all of said leaves being spaced apart.

8. The hereindescribed cantaliver spring comprising a pair of relatively short outer leaves, a pair of relatively long leaves, the members of which are arranged immediately adjacent to the members of the short outer leaves, and a pair of intermediate leaves disposed between the members of the pair of long leaves, the inner portions of all of said leaves being arranged close together so that they are substantially in contact with each other and the outer portions of the short leaves being spaced apart from the longer leaves.

9. The hereindescribecl cantaliver spring comprising a pair of relatively short outer leaves, a pair of relatively long leaves, the members of which are arranged immediately adjacent to the members of the short outer leaves, a pair of intermediate leaves disposed between the members of the pair of long leaves, the inner portions of all of said leaves being arranged close together so that they are substantially in contact with each other and the outer portions of the short leaves being spaced apart from the longer leaves, and a loop connecting the outer ends of the short leaves.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses, this seventeenth day of November, .1917.

BENJAMIN C. SEATON.

Witnesses M. P, SMITH, LAURA MEYER. 

